Finches are starting

Today morning, wind turned to the south and weather change also affected migration. Chaffinches /metsvint Fringilla coelebs has been showing first migration signs of the autumn season - 6100 on the migration. Best daily count of the autumn season also for Siskin/ siisike Carduelis spinus - 1250m. Third most numerous passerine has been today Barn Swallow/ suitsupääsuke Hirundo rustica - 220 m (only 1 House Martin/ räästapääsuke Delichon urbicum among them). Tree Pipit/ metskiur Anthus trivialis is already ending migration now - daily total only 32m. Passerines in the garden included 1 Lesser Whitethroat/ väike-põõsalind Sylvia curruca and 1 Spotted Flycatcher/ hall-kärbsenäpp Muscicapa striata.

Raptor migration in southern wind has been very quiet, but still 1 Peregrine Falcon/ rabapistrik Falco peregrinus and 2 Hen Harriers / välja-loorkull  Circus cyaneus has been encounterd on migration. Also one Honey Buzzard/ herilaseviu Pernis apivorus (pale morph juvenile) fly to cross the sea, but returned back to Kihnu island after 20 minutes.

Mati have used the opportunity to join with the hydrobiology research team of the Marine institute and visit the offshore area south from Kihnu - our bird research target area. Contrary to the landbirds on island, the sea was almost empty from arctic seabirds. Altogether some 50 Velvet and Common Scoters /tõmmu- ja mustvaeras Melanitta fusca, M. nigra) has been recorded.

The pale morph of the Honey Buzzard. /Photo T. Valker/

On board of the research vessel Vilma, some 8 km south from Kihnu

Test of the new survey equipment. Timo Arula and his team is prepare to use the new type
of zooplancton sampling net.